Memories of Keepsakes
by Lululand16
Summary: From the short story Keepsakes and Treasures. One Shot. idk how to write the summary for this story. IM SORRY D:


From Neil Gaiman's Short Story: Keepsakes and Treasures

DISCLAIMER: I DONT OWN ANYTHING. THEY ALL BELONG TO MR NEIL GAIMAN. i only own my OC.

Please dont sue me.

and please forgove the grammar and tense mistakes. i'm struggling.

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MEMORIES OF KEEPSAKES

i hate driving in big cities. The traffic is terrible. That is why i take the tube. And the tube is exactly where i met him. I was 23 back then, and i remembered that day like it just happened yesterday.

He has mousy brown hair, with a receding hairline. He wore a quite expensive suit He looked like he was in his 30s, but i cant be sure. I'm working in the import and export business, and this guy looks like he's the type that would buy what i'm selling. I can feel him staring at me a couple of times, and when the seat next to me was vacant, he sat there.

He looked at me and smiled after a few minutes, "i've seen you somewhere before" he told me

I smiled back, "i've seen you somewhere before too. "

He looked at me with disbelief, "Bogotá?" he said with uncertainty.

I tilted tilted my head and frowned, "i saw you in Sri Lanka"

He laughed, "looks like we're in the same line of job, then"

i shrugged a little and smiled without looking at him. It looks like he already got the memo. But no, he extended his hand and told me his name. For the safety of our employers, let's just call him Allen. When i wouldn't tell him my name he merely smiled. He doesnt seem to bother. We rode in silence for a few minutes, and then he said my employers name.

"Smith." He said, looking at me with a triumph in his face. I looked at him unbelievably. Smith is of course a codename for my boss, while his, is Alice.

"And of course you're Alice's men." I sneered and rolled my eyes. He seem to be very amused.

"What gave it away?"

I looked at him observingly, "Your suit." I told him, and after observing him again, "and the shoes."

He seemed to be rather offended, and stayed quiet for a while. I watched the people that went into the train as we stopped. There are a few men that i should watch out for, as Mr Smith and Mr Alice arent exactly friends. And those rich people would do anything to make the other lose their valued employees. But everyone who's anyone knows that people who work right under Mr Alice and Mr Smith arent employees, it's more like they own us. Souvenirs, keepsakes, whatever you would like to call it. Things that reminds them of a certain place and a certain time. Bought, taken, whatever.

After a few more moments of silence, i asked him, "what gave me away?"

He chuckled, "you. The way you are. All of Mr Smith's people are alike. Beautiful with auburn hair, light green eyes, pale skin. The kinds that people wouldnt suspect what you actually do, and who you actually work for. They're alike, Mr Alice and Mr Smith. They just so alike that they end up not liking each other."

I smiled at him, he's not half bad. But if those people stationed in strategic places are who i think they are, then i dont have that much time to live.

"Export import." He concluded, and looked at me with a triumphed look.

I rolled my eyes and snorted, "And you're a troubleshooter, no doubt"

He laughed, and we ended up talking about everything. We have so much in common. We were both orphaned, and taken by our employers at a very young age. It's just he was found at 12, and i was at 9. I laughed at his jokes, and at the back of my mind i cant believe i had this much in common with someone else.

I was going home, and he was too. Somehow, in the middle of the conversation, i've agreed to go stay the night at his flat in the barbican. On the way, he admitted that this is the first time that he's ever has someone as old as me in his apartment. I laughed, and told him that he's the youngest men i've ever agreed to stay the night with.

"How old?" He asked with a sly smile on his face. He was as ugly as fuck, with no distinctive features that would want to make you look twice. And yet i looked at him as if he was the handsomest man on earth.

I flashed him the same sly smile that he gave me earlier, and he instantly knew. "Mr Alice old?"

I laughed out loud, "That's disgusting Allen, 60 tops. And i can safely assume you're fucking 9 year olds?"

I can see that he was stunned. Not because i figured out that he was a fucking paedophile, but that i was so calm about it. Well,when you're working with Mr Smith, you cant afford to be stunned, shocked, or surprised.

When he doesnt seem to be recovering from his stunned state, i added, "I knew it from the second you sat next to me, idiot. I look fucking 12. No man has approached me that boldly before."

He ran his hand through his receding mousy brown hair and shook his head, "You're Mr Smith's employee alright. You're great at analysing."

I shrugged, "And you're great at diverting attention and being coy. Before i know it, i'd be taking your Particular Cabs by mistake."

"Coy is for women"

"i dont know what else to define what Mr Alice's men are like. It's like they REALLY know how treat people, one by one. And i dont know what to call that."

He laughed and slid his arms onto my shoulder. I laughed and put my left hand on his waist. The joys of being 30 centimetres shorter than most men.

When he opened the door to his apartment, i was shocked to it being so modestly decorated. I thought of it being furnished with lavish couches, and chandeliers, but his was just a modestly decorated flat. Classy, but not something that you'd remember on your flat searching tour.

He showed me his knife throwing abilities and then made spaghetti for the both of us. I must say that i am a better knife thrower than he was.

That night, i have to admit was the best night of my life, and i wont forget about it soon.

I woke up the next morning finding that the bed was half made up, and the flat deserted. I found a note on the table.

_Dearest Kimberly, _

_last night was unforgettable, and we both know we shall never experience it again. Never have i met someone as interesting and delightful as you. But you know how it is with Mr Smith and Mr Alice. It was them that made meeting you possible, and it is they that will separate us if we continue meeting each other in the future. I know i will remember the time i spent with you with fondness until the day of my death, and i do not hope you feel the same, for both of us knows how Mr Smith handles people with the melancholy that you will suffer if you felt the same towards me._

_ Yours, Allen._

I folded the letter and kept it in my coat pocket. I walked to the bathroom, grabbed his bar of soap, as i dont wear lipstick, and wrote on his bathroom mirror. I left soon after i finished writing the message.

I never met Allen again for the rest of my life.

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oneshots are my thing, i think :D i hope you enjoy it!


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